In the 1970s and 80s, Ernie Anderson was the voice of ABC–the announcer whose voice was instantly recognizable and very much part of the networks brand. But the skeleton in his closet (har) was his stint on local Cleveland television station WJW as late night horror movie host ‘Ghoulardi’. From 1963-1966 the show Shock Theater presented an alternative version of the cheesy horror movie host, with Ghoulardi being more of a hipster who was in on the joke. Ghoulardi mocked the films he was hosting, and spoke in an accent-laden beatnik slang. Often, comedic sound effects or music would be inserted in place of the movie’s audio track. Occasionally, Ghoulardi would even insert himself into a film and appear to run from the monster, using a chroma key system that WJW normally utilized for art cards. He loved firecrackers (although their possession was illegal in Ohio) and started by blowing up apples and leftovers and graduated to blowing up model cars, statues, and other items sent in by viewers. Old newsreel footage was often inserted into the films at key horror moments, making them even more absurd than they already were. Anderson left Ohio in 1966, moving to L.A. to–what else?–become an actor. It didn’t pan out. His son, filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson, has attested to the fact that even when appearing in home movies his acting was sub-par. But his voice was special and his announcing career took off. Above is a very nice mini-doc about the Ghoulardi phenomenon. Paul Thomas Anderson named his production comapny ‘Ghoulardi Films’, suggesting that his affection for his father overrides his opinion of his acting talents.